CBS, Time Warner Cable Retrans Dispute Heats Up

After keeping discussions quiet before and following the
expiration of their contract last month, CBS and Time Warner Cable got loud
about their retransmission-consent negotiations on Thursday.

The programmer launched a TV ad campaign in New York, Los
Angeles and Dallas that warns Time Warner Cable subscribers that the
distributor is "threatening to hold your favorite TV shows hostage and drop
CBS."

The spot's images places a number of CBS shows, including NCIS,The Big Bang Theory, Late Night with David Letterman, 60
Minutes, local news programming, syndicated fare, and sports like the NFL,
PGA Championship and the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, behind lock and
chains.

For its part, the nation's No. 2 cable operator said CBS is
seeking a 600% jump in fees for the same programming it currently offers.